


Through hardship and more

by nbspandam



Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Headcanon, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 04:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16032866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nbspandam/pseuds/nbspandam
Summary: Dragon-centric collection of fics. Nothing more, and nothing less.





	1. Name

There’s a riddle that goes that names are things you own but never use, and instead others use it for you. But he never really thought that to be the case. 

He was never given ownership of his name, after all. It was merely placed on him without him knowing, when he was too young to know, too new to the world and everything in it. 

The name didn’t stick, just like the word ‘she’ didn’t stick, just like the clothes and dolls and necklaces never stuck. His world wasn’t supposed to be built up with that. 

His world wasn’t supposed to be built up with any of this. His father’s legacy weighs heavily on his shoulders, even with the mantle of a new name keeping his back straight and his stance confident and ready. 

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to him that in a world of order, outliers like him wouldn’t have their worlds kept intact. But that it would be run to the ground with men spitting into the still burning ashes came as one nonetheless. 

He stops asking for his name after the third time. He stops correcting his comrades after the fifth. He stops talking after the tenth, and he pushes forward in silence after the fifteenth, the mantle of his discarded name slowly choking him. 

Is this really what his father’s world is built upon? A towering structure on ground that’s drenched with blood and stained with so many names lost to the history, the long rich history of the sea? What worth is there in such a thing? What worth is there in a world where the privileged get away with the most vile cruelty with nothing more than a weakly worded warning, while those left to crawl at their feet are left in the dust? 

The name he’s chosen, the name that’s destined to be heard from one end of the Grand Line to the next, burns within. 

The marine soldier falls. 

The dragon rises. 

Whatever is left of this burning world, marred by a government that cannot see beyond itself, he will save it. With this name, Dragon swears it. 


	2. Mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a brief Sabo cameo here, yaaaay.

The bundled up infant in his arms has finally stopped screaming, and his shoulders lower in relief, a soft sigh leaving him. This isn’t a good idea, and he knows it. Dragon knows all too well the possibilities that draw ever closer with every step he takes, and yet he can’t bring himself to stop walking. 

He can’t leave his only son in the hands of his father. His father has always meant well, yes, but Garp’s methods are questionable at best and completely unsuited for a child at the very worst. Years of personal experience tells him he’s better off like this. 

His body is worn down and he knows he should rest to be sure that he recovers, but he doesn’t have that kind of time on his hands. If Dragon is to break the promise he has made to his father that this boy, his  _ son _ , will be in his care, then he has to leave tonight. No other option exists. 

\---

Dragon has done many foolhardy things in his life, but this one far exceeds everything he’s ever done. Sailing through the Grandline with no one but an infant for company has to be the most reckless action he’s taken, but it’s a necessary one. A wanted man like himself can’t show himself so openly, and now neither can his son. 

Even so, he makes it to Baltigo. He’s even more worn down and exhausted than before, but it has been an effort worth making. All to keep his son alive and in one piece during this far too long journey. 

Stepping onto shore feels like climbing a mountain, but he presses onwards, the bundle held securely in his arms squirming a little bit from time to time. He’s almost there.

“DRAGON!” 

The cry of his subordinates hardly registers as he keeps walking, only stopping once Ivankov comes stomping over to him, their feet causing the ground to almost tremble. He knows that they can see so easily what he’s been through, so he doesn’t say a word.

Instead, he waits until they’re towering over him before his knees finally buckle and he falls, keeping his child tucked away in case he’s not caught in time.

The feeling of Ivankov’s hands catching him is almost a bigger relief than stepping onto shore was, but even so he doesn’t let go of his son. He can’t, not yet. Dragon is too tired to speak, but he hopes that the look he gives his old friend will be enough.

Ivankov stares back at him for several seconds, then carefully helps him onto his feet again and leads him into the building carved out of the rock formation they call home, for once not asking a million questions or complaining loudly about his absence. 

The moment he actually lays down, he’s asleep before his head hits the pillow. Even in his sleep he keeps a loose hold on his son, who still has no name. All to keep him safe.

\---

When he wakes up again, everything is quiet. There’s no sound other than that of footsteps going to and fro outside of his room, the quiet murmur of voices following suit. Something feels… Off. 

He slowly moves to sit up, his hand instinctively reaching for where he remembers placing the child bundled up in blankets. When his hand only finds the fabric of sheets, his heart stops. 

It’s when tears start to fall that Dragon realizes why his son is not there, and that realization just makes him cry even more. He brings a hand up to his face, his expression pulled into a badly concealed grimace. 

He never broke his promise to his father. Luffy never left East Blue with him, and even now, seven years after the fact, he still dreams of something so impossible.    
And it still causes him this much pain, too.

“... Sir Dragon…?” 

Dragon can’t help the quiet breath that leaves him at the sound of that small voice, his mind conjuring the memories he has of the young boy who’s now standing in the doorway; Sabo, a boy who’s seen the richest for what they really are, who understands so clearly what corruption is. 

He shouldn’t have to see him like this. He’s still young, and it’s not his responsibility to ease the burdens that shackle Dragon. Even so, he can’t bring himself to hide this.    
Not only because Sabo is no fool and would know that something is still wrong, but also because he’s simply too drained to try. 

“Sir Dragon…?” Sabo repeats, his voice just as quiet as before even as he slowly steps over to the bed, hesitant to do anything but stand near him. 

“... I’m sorry that you were sent here, when I’m in this state.” he murmurs, carefully wiping away his tears as he speaks. He sounds about as terrible as one would expect. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I… No, not right now. I will be, soon enough.” 


End file.
